How to Build & Create Mantels
A mantel is a useful and beautiful accent for a wood, gas or electric fireplace. It serves as the crowning touch for the fireplace and is commonly used to showcase prized family heirlooms and collections. Building a mantel is an easy project, because it's essentially a flat piece of wood. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Paper
- Pencil
- Table saw
- Plane
- Sandpaper
- Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Polyurethane
- Hammer
- Finish nails
- Wood filler
Instructions
-
-
1
Use a pencil and tape measure to determine exactly where you want your mantel to go. Having someone help you, run your tape measure from the place where you want the mantel to start to the spot where you want it to end. Note the length of the mantel on a piece of paper. Also determine how deep you want your mantel to be.
-
2
Draw your fireplace or wall where the mantel will be installed to scale on a piece of paper. Add in the mantel to get an idea of what it will look like. By catching any potential mistakes on paper, you can save yourself some time and effort as you complete your project.
-
-
3
Cut a piece of wood to the size that you have determined, using a table saw. A mantel can be made from anything, from an inch-thick piece of maple to an old railroad tie. It all depends on the materials you have available and the effect you are trying to create.
-
4
Go over the wood with coarse and then fine-grade sandpaper. Wipe off the sanding dust, using a tack cloth.
-
5
Finish the mantel by painting it or covering it with several coats of clear polyurethane, using a paintbrush. A painted finish can create a formal and traditional effect, while a clear finish brings out the rustic beauty of the wood.
-
6
Install the mantel by laying it in place and securing it to the structure beneath it with finish nails. Fill the nail holes with wood filler that matches the wood.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Look at interior decorating books and magazines for fireplace-mantel ideas.
Be careful if you decide to use a railroad tie, as older ones are infused with creosote, which is not a healthy substance to have in your house. Newer railroad ties and similar beams that are made specifically for landscaping don't have creosote in them.
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
